Reflection sessions

The first reflection session

Before the session

Before the session takes place you should have done some preliminary research, including background reading, and have a record of your work and thoughts in your Researcher’s Reflection space. You should have either developed or be close to  developing a research proposal and already have given some thought to why you are interested in the area you have chosen, why it is important and whether the topic is appropriate to chemistry. You should also have considered whether the topic poses any possible ethical or safety issues and given thought to possible approaches or methods  that could be used to research the area of the topic.

During the session

During the session you should work with your supervisor to try to:

• Review the requirements and assessment criteria for chemistry
• Review any ethical, legal and safety implications.
• Engage in a dialogue about possible approaches together with any possible  problems that might arise.
• Engage in a discussion of strategies you could adopt to develop ideas for the essay and expanding the research so that the essay begins to take form
• Ask any questions which will help you to focus your thinking and lead to the development of your essay.
• Discuss possible steps that you should undertake next to work on your research question.

At the end of the session you should agree the date by which you will must complete the first reflection on the form EE/RPPF and return it to your supervisor for signing and dating.

The interim reflection session

This should take place after you have refined an appropriate and sharply focused research question and recorded relevant evidence and data in your Researcher’s reflection space. You should have reviewed and consolidated the methods you are using and formulated arguments based on the evidence you have collected.

During the session you need to demonstrate to your supervisor the progress you have made. You should be able to discuss any challenges or set-backs you are facing and request possible solutions. Suitable areas for discussion might include:

• Your supervisor looking at some of your initial writing to ensure you are following academic requirements and properly recording references.
• Discussing with your supervisor whether you have consulted an appropriate range of different resources  and how authentic and reliable they are.
• Determining what else has to be done in order for you to complete your first draft of your essay and how this can be broken down into manageable steps, if necessary.

By the end of the session both you and your supervisor should be confident that the there is a clear and sharply focused research question, the essay is based upon a viable argument and a sufficient range of appropriate sources has been consulted. Finally you should be clear about the necessary steps required to complete the writing process.

As with the first reflection, agree a date with your supervisor for when the second reflection must be completed on your form EE/PRRF and returned to your supervisor for signing and dating. Note that if it was found during this second reflection session that you need to change direction in your research or alter your research question, the thinking that led to this should be recorded in your second reflection; you should not simply start a new ‘second reflection’.

Final reflection session

This takes place after you have handed in the final version of your Extended Essay and after your supervisor has read it. You should take extracts from your Researcher’s reflection space to the meeting which illustrate how your reflections have helped you grow as an learner.

This final reflection should be more of a celebration of your work rather than any sort of examination. It should give you the opportunity to reflect on what you have learned from the whole process. Note that no alterations are allowed to be made to the final version of the EE after this final reflection session has taken place.

Essentially the final reflection session (sometimes called a viva voce) is an opportunity for you to provide holistic evidence of your student’s learning experience.  It provides confirmation of the authenticity of your work (ideas and sources) and gives you  the opportunity to reflect upon the challenges and hurdles that have been met and hopefully overcome during the research process. Whilst being constructive it can be an opportunity for you to thank your supervisor and show how much you appreciate the help and support they have given throughout the process. It also provides your supervisor with material to include in their supervisor’s comments on form EE/PRRF.

Some examples of the type of questions that you could be asked by your supervisor.

• Have you enjoyed the process of research and writing the Essay?
• What did you learn from the whole process?
• What were the high and low points?
• If you had to give advice to first year students what would it be?
• Do you feel your understanding and knowledge of chemistry has improved?
• How could I improve as a supervisor?